Starbucks Issues 3-Day RTO Mandate For 3rd Straight Year

Starbucks just announced that VPs (and above) in North America must be in the office three days per week. 

But here’s the problem: it’s the third year in a row that Starbucks has called people into the office three days per week.

Here is everything you need to know about Starbucks’s return-to-office plan.

Starbucks’s Return To Office Policy

• RTO Date: February 24, 2025
• Notice Date: February 24, 2025
• Location Policy: Hybrid 
• Office Visit Expectations: Three days per week

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RTO Timeline At Starbucks

Here is a timeline of RTO mandates made by Starbucks over the past three years.

Jan 12, 2023: 3 Days/Week For Corporate Employees

“Corporate workers at Starbucks must return to the office at least three days a week by the end of January, interim CEO Howard Schultz announced in a Wednesday memo, as another corporate giant clamps down on remote work.” (source)

Oct 28, 2024: 3 Days/Week (Or Risk Losing Your Job)

“Starbucks office workers will risk losing their jobs if they fail to comply with the company’s hybrid work requirement that employees are in the office three times a week. An internal message sent to employees warns that an ‘accountability process’ will start in January 2025. Consequences for non-compliance are ‘up to, and including, separation.'” (source)

The Guardian added, “The message said the company will no longer make Tuesday a required in-office day, leaving it up to managers to determine the best day for their teams. The three-day office policy has been in place for two years.”

Feb 24, 2025: 3 Days/Week For VPs And Above

“Moving forward, vp+ leaders in North America will need to be present with their teams in our Seattle (U.S.) and Toronto (Canada) offices at least three days a week.”

“Generally, partners working remotely in director and below roles today will keep their remote status. Hiring for future roles will require partners to be Seattle or Toronto based, except for enterprise designated remote positions.”

(source)

Sentiment From Starbucks Leadership

When Starbucks started hybrid work in 2022, Schultz said that corporate workers “made a promise” to be in the office between one to two days a week.

“From our badging data, it’s clear that a good number of SSC partners are not meeting their minimum promise of one day a week. This is why I am also announcing that this policy … is a requirement. It’s that critical to our business success.”

View All Return To Office Plans For The Fortune 500

Every month, we update every Fortune 500 company’s return-to-office policy. You can view the data below.